Systems and methods for the active display and updating of siting plans

Abstract

Systems and methods for updating and displaying the availability of models for at least one model to be sited on a set of at least one lot of a siting plan. The method includes: determining the at least one model; determining the availability of each model to be sited on each lot; displaying siting plan data corresponding to the siting plan (with the siting plan indicating the model availability for each lot); receiving a change to the model availability corresponding to a first lot in the set; determining any required change to the model availability for any of the lots in the set other than the first lot; and displaying siting plan data corresponding to an updated siting plan. The updated siting plan may reflect the received change to the model availability data for the first lot as well as the required changes to the model availability data for any of the lots in the set other than the first lot. Additionally, the method may include displaying a siting plan layout corresponding to the updated siting plan.

1 . A model availability system for determining the availability of at least one model to be sited on at least one lot, comprising:
 (a) a siting plan database comprising a plurality of lot records, wherein each lot record corresponds to one lot of a set of lots in a siting plan, and wherein each lot record comprises model availability data corresponding to the availability of a plurality of models for the corresponding lot;   (b) a display operatively coupled to the siting plan database and configured to display siting plan data corresponding to the siting plan;   (c) an input module configured to receive input corresponding to at least one change to the model availability data;   (d) an availability updating module operatively coupled to the input module and to the siting plan database, wherein upon receipt of a change to the model availability data for a first lot, the availability updating module is configured to determine any required change to the model availability data for any other lot.   
   
   
       2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the siting plan database comprises related lot data identifying how at least two lots are related. 
   
   
       3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the availability updating module is configured with at least one siting rule for determining if a change is required to the model availability data for a lot. 
   
   
       4 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising a model database operatively coupled to the availability updating module, wherein the model database comprises a plurality of model records wherein each model record corresponds to one of the models. 
   
   
       5 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each model record comprises at least one siting rule for the corresponding model. 
   
   
       6 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the at least one siting rule requires that for at least one of the models, the model may not be assigned to two adjacent lots. 
   
   
       7 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the at least one siting rule requires that for at least one of the models, the model must be assigned to two adjacent lots. 
   
   
       8 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the at least one siting rule requires that for at least one of the models, the model may not be assigned to two lots less than a predetermined number of lots apart. 
   
   
       9 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the availability updating module is configured to apply the at least one siting rule corresponding to the first lot. 
   
   
       10 . The system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the display is configured to display a siting plan layout corresponding to the siting plan. 
   
   
       11 . A method of displaying the availability for at least one model to be sited on a set of at least one lot of a siting plan, the method comprising:
 (a) determining the at least one model;   (b) determining the availability of each model to be sited on each lot;   (c) displaying siting plan data corresponding to the siting plan, wherein the siting plan data indicates the model availability for each lot;   (d) receiving a change to the model availability corresponding to a first lot in the set;   (e) determining any required change to the model availability for any of the lots in the set other than the first lot; and   (f) displaying siting plan data corresponding to an updated siting plan, wherein the updated siting plan comprises the changes to the model availability data from steps (d) and (e).   
   
   
       12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising identifying which lots in the set are adjacent to each other. 
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising determining at least one siting rule corresponding to each of the plurality of models. 
   
   
       14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein for at least one model, the corresponding siting rule requires that the model may not be assigned to two adjacent lots. 
   
   
       15 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein for at least one model, the corresponding siting rule requires that the model must be assigned to two adjacent lots. 
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein for at least one model, the corresponding siting rule requires that for at least one of the models, the model may not be assigned to two lots less than a predetermined number of lots apart. 
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein determining any required change to the model availability for any of the lots in the set other than the first lot comprises applying the siting rule corresponding to the first lot. 
   
   
       18 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising displaying a siting plan layout corresponding to the updated siting plan. 
   
   
       19 . A computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable on a processor of a computing device for implementing the method of  claim 11 . 
   
   
       20 . A model display system for displaying at least one model sited on at least one lot, comprising:
 (a) a siting plan database comprising a plurality of lot records, wherein each lot record corresponds to one lot of a set of lots, and wherein each lot record comprises model availability data corresponding to the availability of a plurality of models for the corresponding lot;   (b) wherein the model availability data comprises at least one sited model image for each model available for the corresponding lot;   (c) a display operatively coupled to the siting plan database and configured to display siting plan data corresponding to the siting plan database;   (d) wherein the display is further configured to display at least one sited model image; and   (e) an input module configured to select a sited model image to display on the display.   
   
   
       21 . The system as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the input module is further configured to receive input corresponding to at least one change to the model availability data for a first lot. 
   
   
       22 . The system as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising an availability updating module operatively coupled to the input module and to the siting plan database, wherein upon receipt of a change to the model availability data for a first lot, the availability updating module is configured to determine any required change to the model availability data for any other lot.